A Critical Analysis of 'Conan' on TBS: Legacy and Evolution in Late-Night Television
Following a tumultuous and highly publicized departure from NBC's "The Tonight Show," Conan O'Brien launched his third late-night talk show, "Conan," on the cable network TBS on November 8, 2010. The series, which concluded on June 24, 2021, represented a significant chapter in O'Brien's nearly three-decade career as a late-night host. It served as both a restoration of his signature comedic style and a platform that evolved with the changing media landscape. This analysis examines the show's structure, critical reception, ratings performance, and its ultimate place in the pantheon of late-night television.
Show Structure and Comedic Style
Initially, "Conan" adhered to the traditional six-piece late-night format that O'Brien had utilized during his tenures on "Late Night" and "The Tonight Show." The hour-long episodes, airing Monday through Thursday, typically consisted of a monologue, comedy bits, two celebrity interviews, and a musical or stand-up comedy performance. The show drew its humor from current events, political figures, and celebrities, all filtered through O'Brien's unique brand of self-deprecating, absurd, and often surrealist humor. Long-time sidekick Andy Richter remained a fixture, providing a crucial comedic partnership.
In a significant shift, the program was reformatted to a leaner, 30-minute runtime in January 2019. This later iteration featured a looser structure, omitting the traditional desk area and house band, Jimmy Vivino and the Basic Cable Band. This change reflected a broader trend in late-night television, adapting to shifting audience consumption habits, which increasingly favored digital clips over linear viewing.
Critical Reception and Ratings Trajectory
The premiere of "Conan" was met with positive reviews from television critics, who largely viewed it as a successful return to form for O'Brien. Many found it to be a "looser, quirkier take" on the late-night genre, reminiscent of his celebrated years on "Late Night." The debut was a ratings success, attracting 4.2 million viewers and outperforming its broadcast competitors, including Jay Leno's "Tonight Show."
However, this initial ratings surge did not hold. While the show performed well enough for TBS to consider it a long-term fixture, viewership numbers gradually declined over its 11-season run. By 2015, the show's viewership had fallen significantly, positioning it as the lowest-rated among the major national late-night talk shows at the time. In its final season (2020-21), "Conan" averaged just 282,000 total viewers, a 29% decline from the previous year. This decline, steeper than that of its broadcast counterparts, highlighted the challenges faced by a cable-based, traditional talk show in an increasingly fragmented digital era.
The Final Bow and Lasting Legacy
The announcement of the show's conclusion came in November 2020, with the final episode airing in June 2021. The finale was a modest and friendly affair, featuring guests Jack Black and Will Ferrell, along with a collection of retrospective clips. Critical assessment of the finale was mixed, with some finding it an unsatisfying and inconsequential clip show, while others saw it as a fittingly low-key end to his late-night career. The final episode marked the end of O'Brien's 28-year run as a late-night host, making him the longest-tenured host at the time of his departure.
Ultimately, "Conan" on TBS solidified O'Brien's status as an elder statesman of comedy. While it may not have consistently achieved the ratings dominance of his network predecessors, it provided a platform for his distinct comedic voice, characterized by an embrace of the "strange phantom intersection between smart and stupid." The show's international "Conan Without Borders" specials were particularly acclaimed, earning an Emmy in 2018 and showcasing O'Brien's strengths in remote, unscripted segments. Though the nightly talk show has concluded, O'Brien's transition to a weekly variety series on HBO Max and a successful podcast network indicates a continued evolution, adapting his enduring comedic persona for new media platforms.